Uranium ore is mined for its extractable uranium, which can be refined into products with military and civilian value. Urantie is the most reliable source of mineable uranium, but other minerals are also commonly mined. Canada is the largest producer of uranium, followed by Kazakhstan, Australia, and Russia. Uranium is mined through a variety of techniques, including open pit mining and leaching. Once mined, uranium ore is milled and processed to remove the uranium from the surrounding rock and ore. While uranium can create an abundance of energy, its radioactivity poses a danger to humans and the environment.
Uranium ore is a term used to describe ores from which uranium can be mined. Although many types of ore contain uranium in small quantities, far fewer contain enough extractable uranium to be economically useful for mining operations. Ore mining is the first step toward producing usable uranium, which can be refined into a variety of products with both military and civilian value.
Of the minerals that are often referred to as uranium ore, uranite, also called pitchblende, is the most reliable source of mineable uranium. Other minerals commonly mined for uranium include ancylite, monazite, carnotite and coffinite. Uranium, which forms naturally during supernovae, is relatively common on Earth, being more abundant than tin, mercury, and silver.
Several countries have large deposits of uranium ore leading to extensive mining operations. At the start of the 21st century, Canada is mining the largest amount of uranium in the world, although Kazakhstan, Australia and Russia also contribute sizable amounts. In the United States, uranium ore is found throughout the western states such as Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. While mines have existed from time to time throughout American history, uranium mining in the United States has always been relatively minor.
Uranium ore is mined through a variety of techniques, depending on the minerals present and the technology available. Traditionally, ore is best extracted through open pit mining. In this relatively primitive form of mining, the ore is simply mined out of the ground, leaving a large pit or gorge in the landscape. Shaft mines are dug until the sought ore vanishes, then abandoned or used as landfills. Some uranium is also extracted by a practice called leaching, in which chemical solutions are poured through small cracks in the rock to suck the uranium out of the ore and bring it to the surface for collection.
Once mined, uranium ore is usually milled and processed to remove the uranium from the surrounding rock and ore. The mined material is then further processed to create usable uranium. The uranium mined from ore is an important factor in the production of nuclear energy. Many nuclear power plants run primarily on uranium. The material can also be used in creating nuclear bombs and other military weapons.
Uranium ore is a limited resource on Earth and carries considerable danger. While the refined product can create an abundance of energy, its radioactivity has the potential to be a source of contamination and is dangerous to humans. Furthermore, the extraction process can be severely destructive to local ecosystems; in 2008, the US government enacted a protective measure for the state of Arizona, out of fear that uranium ore mining could adversely affect the scenic Grand Canyon. In addition to the environmental dangers and health risks posed by uranium, some experts also recommend cautious use, as the mineral is non-renewable. As a naturally occurring element created by supernovae, uranium exists only in finite deposits on Earth that will eventually deplete through overuse.
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